Hot Compression Properties

A new ASTM International standard will provide gasket manufacturers with a test for measuring creep and compression that can be used for R&D and material comparisons, and as a quality assurance tool.

F2837, Test Method for Hot Compression Properties of Gasket Materials, was developed by Subcommittee F03.40 on Chemical Test Methods, under the jurisdiction of ASTM International Committee F03 on Gaskets.

“Some nonmetallic gasket materials can creep or deform while under a constant load, which is an important material characteristic, especially when temperature is involved,” says James Lingenfelder, technical manager, Gasket Resources Inc., and a member of F03.

According to Lingenfelder, F2837 covers three different steps in the testing process:

Creep of a material under room temperature is measured while increasing the load on a material to a predetermined level;

While under a constant load, the temperature is increased at a given rate over a given time period, with the thickness over this period being measured; and

The compression set of the material is measured at the end of the test at room temperature.

Future work on this standard could include a test that has both loading and unloading, which would be helpful in providing data for finite element analysis.

“F2837 can be used for material characteristics for finite element analysis, and certainly anyone interested is welcome to participate,” says Lingenfelder. “Along the same line, we are currently working on another standard on load deflection curves. Again, this is an important material characteristic and also has applications for finite element analysis.”